While teams can change their tune quickly after seeing what shiny new toys other teams get, I think the Astros are really happy with MMP still. Its coming up on 25 years old and I can't think of any major feature its lacking to increase revenue for the team other than a team owned bar/restaurant to get money from fans before the game which Crane is working on right now where the B.U.S. used to be. I think every now and then they get in a spat with the county on who will pay to powerwash the roof, but I have yet to hear any chatter about a need for a new ballpark.

Downtown may not be most fans' ideal location to go see a sports team especially considering its still mainly a business center and not a residential downtown, but with as much sprawl as the metro area has I feel like there isn't one obvious answer to move the team to be closer to its fans like how it was in Atlanta.

Sounds like another half-assed effort pushed forth by people with more money than sense.

https://astrodomeconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/AC-press-release-FINAL-11.11.24.pdf

Head Ninja In Charge said:

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cajunaggie08 said:

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While teams can change their tune quickly after seeing what shiny new toys other teams get, I think the Astros are really happy with MMP still. Its coming up on 25 years old and I can't think of any major feature its lacking to increase revenue for the team other than a team owned bar/restaurant to get money from fans before the game which Crane is working on right now where the B.U.S. used to be. I think every now and then they get in a spat with the county on who will pay to powerwash the roof, but I have yet to hear any chatter about a need for a new ballpark.

Downtown may not be most fans' ideal location to go see a sports team especially considering its still mainly a business center and not a residential downtown, but with as much sprawl as the metro area has I feel like there isn't one obvious answer to move the team to be closer to its fans like how it was in Atlanta.

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As a sports fan, downtown is definitely preferable compared to Kirby and 610 S.

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10000000% When the Braves moved from Turner Field their stadium was essentially located at Atlanta's version of Kirby/610. I at first thought it was dumb they built a new stadium and moved as Turner Field as a structure was still fine. But after visiting Atlanta last year, I understood why they moved.

A large number of season ticket holders were also in the area they moved to so it made it very necessary.

Edit - I'd wager a large number of Astros season ticket holders are ITB so a central location is ideal.

Images I am seeing look like a presentation deck from the early 2000s and the same vintage of vision. This needs to be converted into a Sphere or COSM entertainment venue to have any chance of succeeding IMHO.

BayAg_14 said:

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cr0wbar said:

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Praying for the world's largest titty bar

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Dome of desire? I'd go.

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Paint a red or brown circle right at the apex of the dome and put some kind of small tower right at the highest point painted the same color.

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Did you know ABC13's studio at 3310 Bissonnet Street inspired the construction of the Astrodome?
On Oct. 6, 1960, Judge Roy Hofheinz and Houston architect Herman Lloyd were on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony of ABC13's new studios on Bissonnet -- the home of the station to this day. Lloyd was responsible for the design, which was called a "state-of-the-art television station of tomorrow."
The building's lobby and the main offices overlooked a landscaped patio, complete with palm trees and even a pool. But the creme-de-la-creme of the building was its domed roof, which housed two full-sized television studios.
ABC13's domed design fascinated Judge Hofheinz, who had just secured a professional baseball franchise for Houston and dreamed of building the team a new indoor stadium.
Hofheinz reached out to Herman Lloyd to build the new stadium, with a domed roof, just like ABC13's.

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https://abc13.com/post/astrodome-conservancy-unveil-1b-plan-future-iconic-houston-landmark-wednesday/15542722/

And Jan Glenn and Don Nelson used to sit out on that patio doing Good Morning Houston while Barry Horne brought a parade of models thru to show the latest fashions, described in his Liberace-esque voice.

Unless I'm missing something I'm pretty sure the Texans and HLS&R have comprehensive leases for NRG park and the grounds. And neither support any of this BS and will issue statements opposing it.

Pushing this through might lead to both (biggest users of the grounds) developing a facility elsewhere.

AgLA06 said:

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Unless I'm missing something I'm pretty sure the Texans and HLS&R have comprehensive leases for NRG park and the grounds. And neither support any of this BS and will issue statements opposing it.

Pushing this through might lead to both (biggest users of the grounds) developing a facility elsewhere.

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Just got an email from HLSR saying this plan "does not align" with their vision.

I don't know but at our rodeo committee meeting last week they had someone come in a speak to us about donating to some initiative they have set up that is raising funds for facility upgrades.

Not sure why they're looking for the committees for that money and not HLSR itself. Thought it was kinda BS for them to be begging like that.

Rodeo & Harris county officials do not see eye to eye.

cajunaggie08 said:

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TXAG 05 said:

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AgLA06 said:

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Unless I'm missing something I'm pretty sure the Texans and HLS&R have comprehensive leases for NRG park and the grounds. And neither support any of this BS and will issue statements opposing it.

Pushing this through might lead to both (biggest users of the grounds) developing a facility elsewhere.

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Just got an email from HLSR saying this plan "does not align" with their vision.

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Has the rodeo made public what their "vision" is for the space? I assume they would prefer for the dome to be torn down and the hole in the ground filled in so there can be more space for food and carney vendors.

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not yet. We've done many feasibility studies on the land hlsr owns tho.

Cynic said:

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The rodeo is more greedy than the sports teams in Houston. I say give the Astrodome to the Rodeo and make it their problem.

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What the the hell is that supposed to mean?

Jugstore Cowboy said:

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Quote:

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Has the rodeo made public what their "vision" is for the space?

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No, and that's been part of the problem with any Dome discussions for 24 years. The boots & blazers crowd is opposed to everything, but never come out with any proposals of their own to say what exactly they would do with the space. Same with the Texans. Like the Texans on the field, they'll play the role of spoiler from time to time, but never lead.

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I imagine if they came up with any idea or proposal for it, the county will try to get HLSR to help pay for it. I can't think of anything the HLSR NEEDS from the dome outside of maybe using the space instead of NRG Arena since the arena is so old, but a dome renovation costs way more than a NRG Arena renovation/replacement

cr0wbar said:

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Praying for the world's largest titty bar

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You would have to build a second Astrodome next to the first one.

Jugstore Cowboy said:

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Quote:

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Has the rodeo made public what their "vision" is for the space?

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No, and that's been part of the problem with any Dome discussions for 24 years. The boots & blazers crowd is opposed to everything, but never come out with any proposals of their own to say what exactly they would do with the space. Same with the Texans. Like the Texans on the field, they'll play the role of spoiler from time to time, but never lead.

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I'll help with that. More Parking.

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I'll help with that. More Parking.

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But that can mean a lot of things. Emmett's proposal, for instance, would have added more parking but that was not all the Texans wanted.

And it's long been presumed that the Rodeo is eventually going to come out and ask for construction of a new facility somewhere in the 10-figure range.

They're the two main tenants, so it would have helped tremendously if the two entities could have come up with a comprehensive plan that worked for both of them, and present it to the county - with the understanding that the county needs to keep some revenue to pay for the bonds that would be required to do anything with the dome. Obviously, we've never had that.

Astroworld land sold for $77 million.

HLSR bought 'the Astroworld lot' for $42 million.

They didn't even pave over Astroworld and put up a parking lot. It was a dirt lot for a long time. Might still be.